Clinic Services

Clinic Services

The Broome County Health Department Clinics Division focuses on prevention of the transmission of infection and communicable disease through the coordination of community resources, surveillance, health education, consultation and patient care. These programs are designed to provide Broome County residents with access to preventive health care services in a convenient and confidential setting.

One of the most important jobs of any health department is investigation of diseases and outbreaks that are reported to the New York State Department of Health. When a person catches a disease like Pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis, or meningitis, doctors, hospitals and laboratories are required to report the disease to the local health department. The nurses who work in disease control talk with the person or guardian to find out where the disease came from, who else might have been exposed, and to recommend precautions to prevent further spread and treatment if needed.

If the communicable disease nurse calls, the information obtained is kept confidential and is used to protect people from getting a contagious disease.

The communicable disease nurse is also available to answer questions about communicable diseases and will send printed fact sheets or pamphlets to people who request them. The phone number to call is 607.778.2804.

The Tuberculosis (TB) Control Clinic provides for the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control of TB in Broome County. An individual who is suspected of having TB is interviewed by a clinic nurse and referred for a chest x-ray and other tests, as indicated. The clinic physician discusses treatment recommendations with the individual. Medication is provided through the clinic and follow-up appointments are made for the client.

As with other communicable diseases, it is sometimes necessary for other family members, or close contacts of the client, to be tested/examined at the clinic as well.

The Tuberculosis Control Clinic reaches out to identify individuals in targeted populations at high risk for exposure to TB who have been infected but are not yet contagious. Staff will conduct outreach to find these individuals and provide treatment before they become ill and contagious to others. The Clinic serves as a resource for other health professionals, health care facilities, and congregate living establishments in the community. Referrals from these sources are welcome. The clinic nurse is available to answer questions and provide materials.

If you or a family member needs an immunization, there is a clinic at the Broome County Health Department that offers all of the routine immunizations: polio, Hepatitis B, diphtheria-tetanus-acellular pertussis, (DTAP), Haemophilus Influenzae B (Hib), Pneumococcal Conjugate, Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR), and varicella. We offer tetanus-diphtheria (Td) for adults and meningococcal vaccine for college students.

Flu vaccine is offered at different sites around Broome County. Flu vaccine is given to persons at risk on a seasonal basis. The pneumococcal vaccine is given to persons 65 years of age and older at Flu Clinics and by appointment to those at risk.

The Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Clinic is available to those people who are at risk or may have come in contact with one or more sexually transmitted diseases. A confidential interview by a professional staff member includes asking about the client's symptoms, their sexual activities and other information important to the diagnosis of their problem.

Clinical testing is the only way to determine if a person is infected with HIV. The Broome County Health Department uses rapid testing. This means that we have an HIV test result during your visit. Early diagnosis and treatment can improve the quality of life for a person with the virus. HIV testing is available through the STD Clinic but there are times set aside just for HIV testing with trained HIV test counselors. If anonymous testing is wanted, you may call 1.800.562.9423 to make an appointment for HIV testing at the Broome County Health Department, Southern Tier AIDS Program, or throughout the region. Specially trained staff can provide information and programs about HIV/AIDS to individuals and groups.